Last Monday, 16% of travelers arriving in Israel did not conduct a second COVID test, as required under the new regulations Israel has adopted in attempts to contain the Omicron COVID variant, Israel Hayom has learned.
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The new rules took effect the night of Nov. 28 and require that arrivals undergo a second test on the third day after they land in Israel, in addition to a test on the day of their departure for Israel.
Of the 15,820 travelers who landed in Israel on Monday, Nov. 29, 2,651 people neglected to undergo the second test. If this rate of non-compliant travelers holds steady, it will translate to a weekly average of 18,000 people a week who are not tested a second time. In addition, most of the travelers who did get tested a second time were tested on the fourth or fifth day after their arrival rather than on the third day, as mandated.
The government is worried that widespread noncompliance could lead to an outbreak of the Omicron variant and has decided on a fine of 2,500 shekels ($790) for anyone who does not follow the instructions for returning travelers.
According to the updated rules, Israelis who meet the Health Ministry's criteria for "vaccinated" or "recovered" are to take a PCR test upon landing in Israel, after which they are supposed to self-isolate at home. If a second PCR test on the third day after their arrival is negative, the traveler can break quarantine. Anyone who does not take a second test will be required to remain in self-isolation for the full period.
On Saturday, testing identified 445 new COVID cases. As of Sunday morning, there were 241 additional new cases, bringing the total number of active of symptomatic cases in Israel to 5,306, a drop of 68 since midnight between Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday morning, there were 110 COVID patients hospitalized in serious condition nationwide, 75 of whom were listed in critical condition. Of those 75, 23 were on ECMO machines and 64 were on ventilators.
Another 13 patients were hospitalized in moderate condition.
Since the pandemic reached Israel in early 2020, a total of 8,204 people in Israel have succumbed to the disease, including 12 who died in the past seven-day period.
Over 4 million Israelis have been vaccinated with the original two doses and the recommended booster shot, while 5.78 million have been vaccinated with the two doses of the original shot and 6.36 million have received a single vaccine dose.
On Thursday, the government announced it was halting the use of a controversial phone tracking technology to trace possible cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, days after it was authorized as an emergency measure.
Earlier this week, lawmakers announced a package of emergency measures to contain the new strain, including travel restrictions and authorizing the Shin Bet security agency to use phone monitoring technology for the contact tracing of people infected with Omicron.
To be extended, the tracking would have required parliamentary legislation.
But late Thursday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office said the "cellular monitoring" would expire at midnight and not be extended.
The reversal came following days of public criticism of a practice whose use in the past has been criticized by civil liberties groups and challenged in court. Several lawmakers voted against the use of the technology, and a government ombudsman argued that it was ineffective.
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